In a message dated 6/18/06 1:00:24 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> What wonderful eye-candy. it begs the question, how did they ever make > it without strong lights and magnifiers?? > > Does give us something to aim at though :-) > > Still Dreaming > > Maxine in a bitterly cold, wet and in places, snowy, New Zealand - which > is fine if you are snow junkie and not a needle/bobbin addict. > Dear Maxine, This is repeat information for many long-time Arachnes, for which I apologize. Our newer members may find it informative. I have some needlework tools books that show vision aids used by lacemakers and embroiderers. Though they probably would not be used by lacemakers who made lace at home (too poor), I think a few convents and professional lace centers would have had some additional vision aids. Further, they rose and retired depending on when the sun was up in the sky, and maximized their use of daylight hours. In some countries, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. daughters were not given dowrys and were sent to convents to live permanently and be trained to earn a living in a safe environment. Many became lacemakers. As for poor children in lace-making centers, they must have developed a stronger sense of touch than we have. Small children, as young as 3 or 4 in some countries, were expected to work. Tiny fingers first began by spinning thread in the hand, and progressed to learning the more complex aspects of making lace. Touch is a sense we do not use in the same ways that they did. This practice of learning to make lace at an early age is not as cruel as we might think, when we realize that people did not live long lives, and children needed a means for earning enough to feed themselves if parents died. *Do not judge by today's standards.* It was different then, and children who learned lacemaking were among the fortunate. There were people in what we would call the middle class, but few. Mostly, the world was divided by rich, or poor. To read a history of women during the period when the laces in the auction were made, one book is Olwen Hufton's "The Prospect Before Her - A History of Women in Western Europe 1500-1800", 1995. The paperback version ($18 in the U.S.) is from Vintage Press, a division of Random House, ISBN 0-679-76818-1. With all the study programs about womens' history offered today, you should be able to have your library get it for you on loan. I believe New Zealand has a program similar to InterLibrary Loan (U.S. name). Not only are you able to borrow within your country, but some borrow internationally. I would think it would be even easier now than several years ago when I researched and wrote a paper for Arachne about the InterLibrary Loan programs throughout the world. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace & Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
